A proposed trial to reduce accidents on Crowland’s Radar Junction has been thrown out by councillors.
Instead, Lincolnshire County Council will look at altering the speed limit along that stretch of the A16, a meeting of its Planning and Regulation Committee has decided today (Monday, July 6).
The authority had looked to spend £78,000 on implementing a barrier system for six months at the road’s junction with the B1040 where three people have died and 21 injured in accidents since the road opened in 10-years-ago.
But the plan met widespread criticism. There were 66 official objections to the trial including from Crowland Parish Council and South Holland District Council.
Concerns raised include the potential ‘isolation’ of Crowland and motorists being encouraged to use other routes.
The adoption of the plan first came before the County Council’s Planning and Regulation Committee in March where it was agreed councillors should carry out a site visit before ruling on the matter.
That took place that month, but due to COVID-19, the follow-up meeting was not held until today.
And councillors voted to abandon the order “on account of the potential impact on surrounding communities” and investigate potential speed limit reductions.
What the authority has described as the safest option, a roundabout, remains off the table as the council says it will be too expensive, quoting a figure of “around £4million in the report to the committee on behalf of the county council’s executive director of place, Andy Gutherson.
The report also states that the potential for the lowering of the speed limit would depend on the “mean speed of traffic identified by a speed survey”.
Councillor Nigel Pepper told the meeting: “I can’t support the trial.
“Local businesses have been put on their knees by COVID-19 and the report to this committee states the implication of this trial could be severe for them.
“Yes, everyone in Crowland wants a roundabout but we can’t have that so lets look at reducing the speed.”
Councillor Pepper also called for the markings at the junction to be repainted.
